Every day for a year, starting on my 29th birthday, I did one thing I'd never done before.
Now, whenever the fancy strikes, for the rest of my life, I will be doing New Things, Things I'm Bad At, and Things That Seem Ridiculous.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

This is fun! Slow video, but fun- it's an update of the CNN piece I did in October last year. My hair looks weird. I talk about doing new things for a month in August. Enjoy.(I just realized there's no sound. I'll fix it later. I'm sleepy.)

Updated again- on this one the sound just sucks. But the old interview is here.

Monday, July 7, 2008

In the three months since my year-long project ended, I've been catching myself saying things like, "one of the New Things I never got to do was..." and "I meant to do that as a New Thing..." So rather than just pass them over forever because I didn't do them before I turned thirty, I'm going to give myself a new excuse to do them. I decided today that August will be New Summer, meaning I'll do one thing I've never done before every day in August.Welcome back, New!

Some stuff on the list:-Engrave a sterling guitar pick-Sing on top of a grand piano while wearing a red dress-Surround myself with stuffed animals like E.T.-Play Wii (No! I still haven't yet! Long story!)

MARCH1 Woke up in a new apartment2 Helped a pregnant woman who passed out on the subway3 Did a performance of Blue Man Group on my lunch break4 Wrote a letter for a stranger and left it on a park bench under a rock5 Learned to write my name in Chinese6 Took a shower with my clothes on

APRIL7 Skipped an entire city block8 Took a nap under my desk with my coat as a blanket,9 Wrote a love letter to Kevin in pig Latin10 Went to the main branch of the New York public library,11 Taught my coworker’s dog how to do my job12 Raced a baby13 Got in touch with an old friend through My Space14 Played, beat and lost to myself in Scrabble15 Took a sweat nap16 Learned all about Pranayama breathing17 Went to Al-Anon18 Wrote Punky Brewster fan fiction19 Conducted scientific experiments on Peeps20 Played theatre games in the park with a hundred people21 Watched the film Babel22 Created a stack of books as tall as I23 Took over for my company’s receptionist for an hour24 Rode in a pedicab25 Speed-read ‘Middlemarch’ 26 Went to an art gallery opening27 Cut someone else’s hair 28 Read someone’s palm29 Made my own organic foot lotion30 Crushed a can on my forehead 31 Got diagnosed with a liver condition (and had fun with the urine sample)32 Learned the Italian national33 Read a poem in a public school34 Took a yoga class35 Did a 24-hour urine test36 Made an online shopping cart worth $100,000 dollars37 Took a self-guided tour of Fordham

MAY38 Saw ‘Dirty Dancing’ on the big screen39 Read a complete book of the Bible40 Had the MTA refund my Metrocard balance41 Made my face out of a potato, lunch meat, and vegetables42 Rode the cyclone at Coney Island43 Won a Kentucky derby pool at work and bought everyone donuts44 Had dinner in my cousin’s new neighborhood45 Tried to pay a dinner bill for stranger46 Tried to find a friend’s stolen stuff on eBay47 Performed ‘Beat It’ onstage at Galapagos48 Ate frogs’ legs49 Built Ikea furniture50 Tried to cut the peel of an apple in one slice51 Visited Roosevelt Island (by tram!)52 Turned the cube in Astor Place53 Hosted a dance party in my office54 Gave a lottery scratcher to a homeless guy55 Bought a My Little Pony56 Flew a toy helicopter in the basement of my building57 Met George Foreman58 Walked a mile in someone else’s shoes59 Took a bartending class60 Became a democrat.61 Saw Blondie play live at the Today show62 Went to my aunt and uncle’s new house63 Ate at Balthazar64 Introduced my parents to my boyfriend’s parents65 Played online poker66 Bought a Mister Softee cone67 Adopted an endangered species (blue footed boobie)

JUNE68 Ate lunch in the HBO commissary69 Ate in an automat70 Went to a 24-hour drum festival71 Used a digital multimeter to measure environmental resistance72 Stood in line to get into a sample sale at the crack of dawn 73 Sent someone an oven mitt for being my 15,000th visitor74 Did interpretive dance to the sounds of construction outside my office75 Went to a roller derby match76 Made my own hair conditioner out of food77 Got certified in CPR78 Learned how to make a purl stitch79 Cleaned my bathroom floor with a toothbrush80 Went with friend to a “silent party”81 Carried a bowling ball on the subway82 Wore a moustache to dinner83 Walked around in an empty pool84 Sat on a rock and watched the same ant carry stuff for an hour85 Started an entry on Wikipedia,86 Took the M train87 Plunged my arm into a scalding washing machine88 Signed a petition for a cleaner New York City89 Made oobleck,90 Made a house of cards91 Wrote a fan letter to an author,92 Played an orphan in a cartoon stage show93 Wore a suit to work94 Rubbed the Wall Street bull95 Appeared on Who Wants to be a Millionaire and won $25,00096 Made a donation to animal rescue97 Walked across the Williamsburg Bridge

JULY98 Test drove a unicycle99 Wrote blindfolded.100 Ate nothing but candy for an entire day101 Walked a dog in Central Park,102 Designed my own shoes103 Scrambled the letters (like that Cambridge study)104 Played Mbria105 Watched kids play basketball in the park106 Frolicked in the stream of a broken fire hydrant107 Finished a sudoku puzzle108 Bought ten tickets to opening night of a movie109 Rolled myself up in an area rug110 Gave Kevin champissage111 Made Kool-Aid pickles112 Went for a run in the rain113 Changed screw-on lightbulbs114 Let an artist make a skull out of my hand115 Got my not-eyebrows waxed (ahem)116 Took a one-hour walk at the whim of all the stoplights117 Deposited a check for $25,000 118 Went to a birthday party for 90-year-old twins119 Sang happy birthday in church120 Jumped into a pool with my clothes on121 Went to a holistic doctor122 Ate gelato123 Had breakfast on my parent’ balcony124 Saw my sister in a play I also was in125 Saw all of 125th street126 Simpsonized myself127 Took herbal supplements128 Rode around in a chair outsideAUGUST129 Triple rolled my tounge 130 Worked a WNBA game at Madison Square Garden131 Made a photo and pencil holder out of office supplies132 I played a game of washers133 Made mixed CDs as a surprise for several friends134 Took a belly dance class135 Got fitted for bras136 Ate a meal with my hands 137 Made a skull out of laundry138 Ate organic baby food139 Went to Camden Yards140 Castrated a calf141 Went to Musical Monday at a gay bar142 Entered a poetry contest143 Lifted 15-pound weights144 Wore pajamas to dinner and a show145 Made a customer service rep listen to MY hold music (me singing “Xanadu”)146 Cut honey out of a honeycomb147 Cut up a tree with a chainsaw148 Wrote a letter of appreciation149 Went to Bowery Ballroom150 Made a lamp151 Made balloon animals152 Swam at Le Parker Meridien153 Walked through Harlem154 Memorized the military alphabet155 Went to a staged reading of a movie156 Made my own clothes out of curtains157 Brushed my teeth in an elevator158 Broke a lightbulb by stepping on it159 Carved a heart out of soap

SEPTEMBER160 Launched a rocket with my foot161 Played trivia in a bar162 Studied at Columbia163 Made a reading haven in the bathtub164 Made a slip out of a t-shirt165 Fit myself into a drawer166 Played the Great Dalmuti167 Got buried in sand up to my neck168 Go-go danced on a bookshelf169 Hung laundry on an old-timey line170 Listened to a book on tape171 Hit balls at a batting cage172 Bought a lotto ticket173 Threw a smoothie party174 Saw John Williams conduct his own works175 Folded fancy napkins176 Put 100 emergency dollars in the freezer177 Edited an interview the President of Finland178 Read Beowulf179 Dyed my foot purple180 Had a tarot card reading181 Saw Rilo Kiley at Webster Hall182 Learned happy birthday in several languages as well as “I like cake” in German183 Threw money off a roof184 Wrote in someone else’s blog185 Broiled a salmon186 Went to a Barack Obama rally187 Played chess188 Painted pictures in the park

OCTOBER189 Went to a Medieval Faire190 Saw a musical about Jesus robots191 Joined Facebook192 Learned an easy card trick193 Visited a sukkah194 Took a walk with neighbor Judy195 Went to White Plains196 Scored a baseball game197 Sold flamingoes on eBay198 Counted my steps for a day199 Ate like a vegan for a day200 Used an old-timey washboard201 Sat on a yoga ball 202 Walked with a marching band203 Pet a grasshopper204 Peeled and ate a banana with my feet205 Got a henna tattoo206 Made sandwiches shaped like stars a la Cher in Mermaids,207 Gave a man a pedicure208 Did an interview for CNN via sattelite209 Interviewed a dog 210 Went to the Chelsea high line211 Played jacks212 Served as a lifeline on ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire”213 Teleconferenced214 Made a crossword puzzle215 Served drinks in a restaurant216 Learned a Moroccan folk song217 Walked around town wearing a ponyhawk218 Started a swear jar219 Carved jack-o-lanterns out of fruit220 Dressed up as a Blue Man

NOVEMBER221 Ate steak at Morton’s222 Sat on the stage at a Broadway show223 Thanked a subway conductor224 Donated anti-malaria bed nets225 Ate ribs226 Sent a care package to a lady soldier227 Listened to a whole rap album228 Wore a leopard print coat229 Ordered from an underground menu230 Clipped a bonsai tree231 Took apart and cleaned and reassembled a trumpet232 Made grilled cheese with my iron233 Called Japan234 Had drinks at the Algonquin235 Ate mulberries236 Hit someone in the face with a pie237 Held my breath and walked from one Starbucks to another238 Started a book proposal239 Gave an interview for South African radio240 Tried to charge my iPod with an onion241 Resewed a hem by hand242 Played a haunted house game243 Took my own blood pressure244 Used an electric toothbrush245 Ate breakfast for dinner246 Drove a car on the East Coast247 Did the Bloody Mary thing in a dark bathroom248 Went to a vibraphone class249 Met with an agent250 Visited a speakeasy

DECEMBER251 Uploaded a video of me lip-synching to YouTube252 Went to a SAG movie screening253 Went to a magazine launch party254 Bought a skateboard 255 Named my body parts. Left hand Bob.256 Made a JibJab video of me and my sister disco dancing257 Took the Scientology stress test in Penn Station258 Rode the subway in the railfan position259 Googled and was freaked out by Ron Paul260 Fit an iPod in my mouth261 Took a shower using dish soap262 Learned the Notre Dame fight song263 Ate fruitcake264 Watched an episode of TV’s Batman265 Went to a party in Allen Ginsburg’s apartment266 Watched a movie on an iPod267 Cleaned my microwave with a lemon268 Organized my sock drawer by color269 Played a flight simulator270 Read the New York Post271 Made collar stays272 Got stranded in Chicago273 Beheld a leg lamp274 Used a bellows275 Napped under a Christmas tree276 Surveyed Southern California fire damage277 Visited the kitchen of a restaurant278 Turned onto a new road279 Watched Ratatouille280 Complained to an airline281 Wore a lampshade on my head

JANUARY282 Made matchstick rockets283 Polished my shoes with a banana,284 Went to a memorial at the New York Philharmonic285 Spit in public286 Made and used a can-and-string phone287 Picked the Spanish option on an ATM288 Got someone to turn down their music on the subway289 Drank coffee out of an unreasonably large mug290 Watched tv in a cab291 Scootered292 Made an approval matrix293 Sniffed art294 Made a Broadway mix for a dance class295 Took the Mensa test296 Wrote a time capsule letter297 Made scary tape faces298 Took a Rorschach test299 Watched a region 2 DVD300 Played Scrabble for charity301 Called the Post and suggested a headline302 Researched the Hatfield-McCoy feud303 Told a deli guy I would “have the usual”304 Cut the tag off a product under penalty of law305 Started getting rid of my callous306 Saw an urban dance movie307 Ppened a beer on a belt buckle308 I ate ratatouille309 Gave an interview for NY1310 Took the Jeopardy test311 Sent a postcard to postsecret.com312 Started taking prenatal vitamins

FEBRUARY313 Told a stranger she smelled good314 Asked a cabbie about his family315 Literally walked on eggshells316 Started learning Final Cut Pro317 Wore a bikini to work318 Got ashes on my forehead319 Celebrated Chinese New Year320 Ironed my sheets321 Appeared in a movie about a cake322 Watched a silent movie all the way through323 Made a popsicle in cold weather324 Took a moment for Greenpeace325 Played the spoons326 Kissed the ground Kevin walked on327 I tracked a dollar bill on a website328 Taught music to a group of people329 Changed wiper blades330 Bird watched331 Threw a paper airplane out the window332 Read from a teleprompter333 Wore underwear on my head334 Sat in a box at Carnegie Hall335 Shoveled snow336 Ran a gambling ring337 Drew M C Escher’s triangle338 Drank from a beer helmet339 Gave my phone number as 867-5309340 Went to a bachelorette party341 Learned to Zorba dance. Hopa.

MARCH342 Went to a Big Fat Greek wedding343 Spoke a half octave higher344 Wrote with a feather quill345 Commuted with a cane346 Wore an eyepatch all day347 Took a bath in milk348 Ate crickets349 Drafted a will350 Walked to New Jersey351 Shot a gun352 Used a graphics tablet353 Got acupuncture354 Left a trail of breadcrumbs355 Wore false eyelashes356 Pulled off a tablecloth without upsetting dishes357 Made a top hat out of duct tape358 Played saxophone on the subway359 Performed stand-up comedy360 Took a boxing class361 Danced around in a tutu362 Delivered a singing telegram363 Staged the musical of my dreams364 Had breakfast at Tiffany’s365 Hopped around on a pogo stick.366 Very last thing, number 366 because of the leap year, I rode around a limo and ate candy because let’s face it, that’s your dream too and you know it.

Friday, July 4, 2008

All the improv nerds have been all over Xtranormal, which lets you easily make short animated movies. I've been running around and working on other stuff a lot lately, so I didn't really get the time to sit down and make one. But it really doesn't take that much time, so after watching the Chargers beat the Colts tonight, I made an xtranormal video.